Tie-wire tightening and twisting device



March 10, 1931. L. M. VAN SLYKE TIE WIRE TIGHTENING AND 'IWISTING DEVICE File q May 15, 1929 INVENTOR.

@flmwm A TTORNEY 5 Q N@ w a Dy Patented Mar. 10, 1931 PATENT OFFICE LELAND M. VAN SLYKE, NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA TIE-WIRE TIGHTENING AND TWISTIhl'G DEVICE Application filed May 13,

My invention relates to a device for tight,- ening and twisting tie wires on forms for making concrete walls and the like.

The objects of invention are: First, to

5, provide a device of this class whereby the wires used for tieing the opposite sides of forms together may be easily, quickly and eiiiciently tightened and twisted so that the opposites of the form maybe rigidly held in position second, to provide simple and economical means for drawing the wires tightly through the form and whereby great leverage may be had with the device so that the wires may be drawn taut with little ef- 15. fort; third, to provide a device of this class whereby the two ends of .a wire may. be gripped simultaneously and held tightly while the endsare twisted, and also to provide means in connection therewith whereby the wires may be intermittently drawn taut while the ends are being twisted; fourth, to provide a device of this class for cutting olf the extended ends of the wire, and also a clevice whereby the extended ends of the wires may be cut off during substantially the same operation of gripping the free ends thereof; fifth, to provide a device of this class which will leave the ends of the wires, after the same are twisted, in such position that work.-

men will not be readily injured thereby; sixth, to provide a device of this class in which the means used for effecting the cutting operation and drawing together the gripping jaws is also used forrotating the gripping jaws for twisting the wires; seventh, to provide a device of this class whereby the cutting and gripping jaws or members may be readily renewed when desired;

eighth, to provide as a whole a novelly con structed device for tightening and twisting tie wires; and, ninth, to provide a'device of this class which as a whole is simple and economical of construction and operation, which is durable, and which will not readily 5 deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, myinvention con-, sists of certain novel features of construce tion, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described- 1929. Serial No. 362,648.

in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of my tie wire tightening and twisting device in one form of construction, Fig. 1 being designated for the purpose herein as a top side view; Fig. 2 is a partial side and partial sectional view thereof taken at 22 of Fig. 1, certain parts and portions being shown in elevation to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view thereof taken at 33 of Fig. 2, showing the free ends of a wire positioned between the jaws thereof; Fig. 4c is a sectional View thereof taken at 4l-4 of Fig. 2, showing the inner side of the outer jaw and. cutting member; Fig. 5 is a sectional view thereof taken through 55 of Fig. 2; and, Fig. 6 is a plan view on a small scale of a fragmentary portion of a form for making concrete walls, showing by dotted lines my device in operative position for drawing one of the wires taut prior to twisting the same.

Like characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the views of the drawings.

My tie wire tightening and twisting device is primarily mounted on and partially enclosed in a hollow handle l which is preferably a tubular member of convenient size to handle. At one end of the handle 1 is provided an arm 2 which is offset with respect to the axis of the handle 1 and extends beyond the end thereof a considerable distance. This arm forms a pivot member about the end of which the handle 1 and its associated parts are tilted. This arm or pivot member may be integrally secured to the end of the handle or the same may be a separate removable member encircling said end of the handle 1 and secured thereto by a screw 3 or other suitable means. On the back side of the arm or pivot member and at a considerable distance from the end thereof is provided a claw 2a into which the end of a wire maybe bent for gripping the wire and for tightening the wh n the n 91 the irg t m m er is iulcrumed on a member of the form through or adjacent which the wire extends, as will be more specifically described hereafter.

In the hollow handle or tube 1 is positioned and rotatably mounted a smaller tube 4 which is preferably of the same length or very slightly longer than the tube 1. To the one end or" the tube 4:, coincident with the end of the tube 1 to which the pivot member is secured, is secured a jaw 5, which may be integrally secured thereto or which 'ma'yconsist 01" a separate member, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As shown in the drawings, the jaw member is provided with a sleeve 5a which is positioned within the tube 4 and is prevented from removal therefrom by a screw 6 which is secured to the sleeve 5aand extends with its head into a hole in the side wall of the tube 4. The sleeve is also preferably keyed to the sleeve 4 by longitudinal keys 56 at the exterior surface of the sleeve, which keys extend into slots in in the side wall of the tube 4, as shown best in Fig. 5. The j aw 5 extends transversely of the axis of the tube 4; and is provided at its outer side with longitudinal grooves and ridges 50.

Through the axial portion of the jaw 5 s extended and r ciprocally mounted a =quare shank 7 which extends partially into le tube 4: and also beyond the outer side the jaw 5. To the extended end of the hank 7 is secured the movable jaw 8 which .lso extends transversely of the axis of the shank 7 and is positioned in opposed relation to the jaw 5. The aw 8 isprcferably remov ably secured to the end-of the square shank 7 by a nut 9. The two ends of a single tie wire are adapted to be clamped between these two jaws with the end of the tie wire at the opposite side or" the square shank, as shown best in Fig. 2.

Both of the jaws also serve as cutting menr hers for cu ting oi the extended ends of the wire. For this purpose there is provided on on of the cutting members, preferably on the movable member 8, a pair of cuttingedges-8a which are extended inwardly at the opposite sides and pposite'ends of-the'member 8 and area lapted to be shifted'past the outer face of the jaw 5 at the opposite lateral si'desthere of, thus forming substantially two pairs of shears at the opposite sides and end of the aw" members when the same are shifted together, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3;

t will be noted that one of the cutting edges the ends of the wires are cut, as stated, thejaws are adapted to be drawn tightly to gether, tightly clamping the eutends 'of'the" with a securing sleeve 10a which may be secured to the tube 4 in a manner similar to the securing of the jaw 5 to the tube 4t. The outer end of the yoke .is bifurcated. Between the furcations 10b of this yoke is positioned one end of the cam lever 11. This cam lever is also bifurcated. Between the fur-cations 110, of this cam lever is positioned the eye 12a of the operating rod 12. Through the ureations'o'f the yoke 10,-the furcations of the cam lever lland through the eye 12a, is extended a guide and pivot pin or bolt 13. In the furcations 10a are provided longitudinal slots 100 which permit the bolts to slide longitudina vly with respect to the yoke or the tubes 1 and 4:. The edges of the furcations oil? the cam lever 11 are provided with cam surfaces 117) which are adapted to engage the furcations when the lever is shifted from its solid line position to the dotted line position,designatcd X and Y. The operating rod 12 is reciprocally mounted in the sleeve 10a and is secured at its inner end to the inner end of the shank 7. Intermediate the ends of the operating rod 12 is provided a shoulder 12 0 between whichand the inner end of the sleeve 10a is positioned a compression spring l i which spring :is positioned around the 0perating rod. This spring is adapted normally to open the jaws when the lever 11 is in the solid line-position. When the lever is shifted to the dotted line position, designated X, the movable jaw 8 is shifted to the dotted line positionshownin' Fig. 3', during which shifting of the lever, the ends of the wires are lightly gripped by the cutting edges. hen the'lever i-s'then shifted to the dotted line position, designated Y, the jaws are drawn ti ghtly'together, cutting'the wires and clamping and gripping the ends of the wire between the ridges -at the outer'side of the jaw 5 and theinner side of the jawS. The cam surfaces are-soarranged that the lever will remain in the dotted line position, designated Y.

When the wires are so clamped and the lever is in the last mentioned position, the jaws may be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the handle "1 by 'rotating'the lever 11 about such axis. hen the jaws are so rotated, the handle and pivot members are held stationary, which permits the pivot member to serve as a fulcrum for drawing the wires taut while twisting'the same.

In Fig. 6 I have shown fragmentaril-y a form for making concrete walls; I this View, the sheathing of the form are designated B, the usual vertical studs, to which the sheathing is secured, being designated C. To the outer sides of the studs are secured Whalers, designated D, which are positioned parallel to the boards B. A common custom of passing the tie wires through the forms is to pass the looped end A1 of the wires A around the whaler at one side, then passing the wires either between the joints of the board B or through holes therein, then positioning the ends of the wires at the opposite sides of the Whaler D at the opposite side of the form, then twisting the outer ends thereof together, then twisting the two strands of the wire between the boards B until the same are taut. My method of tightening and twisting the wires and the application of my device is as follows:

After the wire is positioned through the form as stated with the ends thereof at the opposite sides of the last mentioned Whaler, I place the end of the pivot member of my device against the outer side of the whaler at an angle thereto and then bend one of the wires into the claw. I then tilt my device to a substantial perpendicular position to the Whaler, which tightens the wire in the form. I then tighten the other end of the wire in the same manner. I then bend or twist the previously bent end of the wire in opposite directions, as indicated by A2 and A3 in Fig. 6. I then place these ends between the aws with the straight portions in the grooves 86. I then rotate the lever to the dotted line position X which grips the ends of the wire. I then shift the lever to the dotted line position Y which cuts off and securely grips the ends of the wires. I then place the pivot member against the whaler and rotate the lever 11, intermittently and preferably at the same time tilting the device back and forth so as to intermittently draw the wires taut by the greater lever action of the device about its fulcrum. The wires are then released.

By this method the wires may be quickly tightened without getting into inconvenient places between or within the form. With this device the wires may also be tightened conveniently in portions of the form heretofore unaccessible by reason of beams, timbers, or floor forming forms at the upper end of the wall form.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and ar rangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

J 1. In a device of the class described, a long handle, a pivot member extending beyond the end of the handle and positioned in offset relation to its axis and provided at its outer side with a claw, and apair of jaws at said end of the handle atone side of the pivot member at the offset portion thereof.

2. In a device of the class described, a long handle, a pivot member extending beyond the end of the handle and positioned to one side of its axis and provided at its outer side with a claw, and a pair of jaws at said end of the handle at one side of the pivot member, said jaws being rotatable with respect to the handle.

3. In a device of the class described, a long handle, a pivot member extending beyond'the end of the handle and positioned to one side of its axis and provided at its outer side with a claw, and a pair of jaws at said end of the handle at one side of the pivot member, said jaws being rotatable with respect to the pivot member.

4. In a device of the class described, a

long handle, a pivot member extending beyond the end of the handle and positioned to one side of its axis and provided at its outer side with a claw, a pair of jaws at said end of the handle at one side of the pivot member, and means at the opposite end of the handle for drawing said jaws together.

5. In a device of the class described, a long handle, a pivot member extending beyond the end of the handle and positioned to one side of its axis and provided at its outer side with a claw, a pair of jaws at said end of the handle at one side of the pivot member, said aws being rotatable with respect to the pivot member, and means at the opposite ends of the handle for drawing said jaws together and for rotating the same. i

6. In a device of the class described, a handle, a pair of jaws mounted at one end of the handle and rotatable axially relative thereto, and a pivot member at said end of the handle, said pivot member extending beyond said jaws.

7. In a device of the class described, a handle, a pair of aws mounted at one end of the handle, a pivot member at said end of the handle, said pivot member extending beyond said jaws, and means at the opposite end of the handle for drawing said jaws together.

8. In a device of the class described, a handle, a pair of jaws mounted at one end of the handle and rotatable axially relative thereto, a pivot member at said end of the handle, said pivot member extending beyond said jaws, and means at the opposite end of the handle for drawing said aws together and for rotating the same;

9. In a device of the class described, a handle, and a pair of gripping aws mounted at one end of the handle, said jaws having cutting edges at the sides of the jaws, and a pivot means at said end of the handle beyond said jaws.

10. In a device of the class described, a handle, a pair of gripping jaws mounted at one end of the handle, said jaws having cutting edges at the sides of the jaws, and a cam lever mounted at the opposite end of said handle for forcing said jaws and the cutting edges thereof together.

11. In a device of the class described, a handle, a pair of gripping jaws mounted at one end of the handle, said aws having cutting edges at the sides of the jaws, and a cam a lever mounted at the opposite end of said handle for forcing said aws and the cutting edges thereof together, said cam lever being rotatable about the axis of the handle for rotating the jaws.

12. In a device of the class described, a handle, a pair of gripping jaws mounted at one end of the handle, said jaws having cutting edges at the sides of the jaws, a cam lever mounted at the opposite end of said handle for forcing said aws and the cutting edges thereof together, said cam lever being rotatable about the axis of the handle for rotating the jaws, and pivot means at the jaw end of said handle, said pivot means extending beyond said jaws.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, Calif, this 29 day of April, 1929.

LELAND M. VAN SLYKE. 

